छिद्रेषु तेषु तं बाणैर् माद्रीपुत्रो ऽभ्यवाकिरत् ॥
परीप्संस् त्वत्सुतं कर्णस् तदन्तरम् अवापतत् ॥
वृकोदरस् ततः कर्णं त्रिभिर् भल्लैः समाहितैः ॥
आकर्णपूर्णैर् अभ्यघ्नन् बाह्वोर् उरसि चानदत् ॥
संन्यवर्तत तं कर्णः संघट्टित इवोरगः ॥
तद् अभूत् तुमुलं युद्धं भीमराधेययोस् तदा ॥
तौ वृषाव् इव संक्रुद्धौ विवृत्तनयनाव् उभौ ॥
वेगेन महतान्योन्यं संरब्धाव् अभिपेततुः ॥
chidreṣu teṣu taṃ bāṇair mādrīputro 'bhyavākirat ||
parīpsaṃs tvatsutaṃ karṇas tadantaram avāpatat ||
vṛkodaras tataḥ karṇaṃ tribhir bhallaiḥ samāhitaiḥ ||
ākarṇapūrṇair abhyaghnan bāhvor urasi cānadat ||
saṃnyavartata taṃ karṇaḥ saṃghaṭṭita ivoragaḥ ||
tad abhūt tumulaṃ yuddhaṃ bhīmarādheyayos tadā ||
tau vṛṣāv iva saṃkruddhau vivṛttanayanāv ubhau ||
vegena mahatānyonyaṃ saṃrabdhāv abhipetatuḥ ||
Into those lapses of his the son of Madri showered arrows [upon Duhshasana]; wishing to shield your son, Karna rushed in at that moment to the rescue. Then Vrikodara [Bhima], drawing his bow to the ear, struck Karna in the arms and chest with three broad-headed, accurately aimed arrows, and roared. Karna turned upon him like a disturbed serpent; that then became a tumultuous battle between Bhima and Radheya. Both, like two enraged bulls, both with rolling eyes, charged at one another with great fury and great speed.
ce5dbad3b64f · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
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Karna hastens to shield Duhshasana -- the shield arrives at the very moment of lapse; and at once Bhima falls upon him. It is telling that the fighters are compared to enraged bulls and a disturbed serpent: rage makes men resemble beasts. The verse teaches that in the thick of battle, coming to one man's aid draws down a blow upon the rescuer; and whoever rushes to shield another becomes a target himself -- for there is no safe place on the battlefield, and every movement invites a counterstrike.